We sit down with James Clay, headteacher at Manston Primary School, to uncover the inner workings of his preparation routine for the September INSET day. From prioritising safeguarding to maximising effectiveness, James shares practical tips and strategies for ensuring these training sessions always hit the mark.
Can you describe your typical preparation routine for an INSET day?
Especially at the start of the year, my focus for an INSET day is on safeguarding. It's our top priority in all staff and leadership meetings, so that's where I begin. I review any updates from Keeping Children Safe in Education, usually using resources like The Key’s guide on the changes. I also adapt The Key’s presentation to meet our school's specific concerns. For instance, last year's update on filtering and monitoring wasn't a big change for us, so we quickly covered that and then emphasised reporting duties and online behaviour, which are focus areas for us.
I then tailor the session to our specific needs, emphasising what's statutory while also addressing our unique challenges. We often use materials such as factsheets to reinforce key points, like recent discussions on online games and apps. During staff meetings, we engage with retrieval practice by asking questions, encouraging active participation and ensuring everyone is up to speed.
When it comes to keeping everyone on the same page, we've got a few tricks up our sleeve. We store all our important documents centrally with easy-to-access links, making it a breeze for staff to find what they need, whether it's info on the latest online gaming trends or training slides. This setup keeps everyone in the loop, even if they're fuzzy on the details.
Come September, staffing changes are top of mind. We're all about transparency, so any shifts in roles or procedures get a spotlight. We recently fine-tuned our safeguarding recording system, adding some new features for extra detail, and making sure everyone's up to speed on that is crucial.
But it's not just about paperwork; we've got safety covered too. From school site updates to fire drills, it's all about keeping those key safety practices fresh in everyone's minds. And to make sure we're not missing anything, I always run my plans by our safeguarding welfare officer – a second pair of eyes for good measure. It's all about covering our bases and starting the year off right.
How far in advance do you tend to plan the day?
Ideally, I'd have everything planned before the summer break. But the reality is, most of the planning happens during the holidays. I've found that even when I've been super organised with a plan in hand, it often gets tweaked or completely changed as new ideas pop up.
There's also a danger in planning too far in advance – it can feel stale by the time the INSET day rolls around. It's better to have a rough outline ready to go, so you're confident in your direction, but leave room for refining the details closer to the day. This keeps things fresh for both you and the participants.
Do you have any specific tips for how to maximise the effectiveness of an INSET day?
To kickstart an INSET day effectively, we always begin with a light icebreaker question. It's a simple way to bring everyone together after the break and set a positive tone. We go around the room, giving everyone a chance to share their holiday highlights or answer a fun question. It's a great way to break the ice and ensure everyone feels included and connected as a team. Plus, it gets everyone talking from the get-go, so there's no awkward silence or hesitation. It's a small gesture that makes a big difference in starting the day off right.
When it comes to organising our meetings, we keep things structured. Safeguarding always comes first, followed by urgent matters, upcoming events, and then professional development topics.
On full INSET days, where we have more time, I make sure to allocate time for each section and we stick to those timings rigorously. It's important not to rush through or cut short any sections, especially to finish early.
Instead, I prioritise building in breaks and reflection time. Coming back from a break, it's essential for staff to have the opportunity to process information and take away actionable insights. After all, just like children, adults need time to adjust and absorb new information effectively.
How do you prioritise topics and activities during the day that address both professional development needs and safeguarding requirements?
When planning our day, safeguarding always takes the lead, with a focus on realistic referrals and making sure our systems are up to date. This typically takes about an hour, given our regular reminders and robust induction process.
As for professional development, it's guided by our school development plan. We prioritise topics based on our current priorities and timing. For instance, structural changes like behaviour systems are addressed early on, as they directly impact day-to-day operations. We tailor our approach to what's most pressing and relevant for our staff and school community.
When it comes to planning, it's important to recognise that getting to know your class takes time. So, I prioritise structural changes and policy issues from the school development plan at the beginning of the term. This includes curriculum adjustments and policy updates, as they impact everyone right from the start.
As the term progresses, I gradually introduce more classroom-focused activities, such as individualised plans for students with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), once we've had time to settle in. And I always make sure to end with some classroom time, allowing teachers to feel fully prepared and settled in before diving into the term. After all, a smooth transition back into the classroom sets the tone for a successful start to the year.
What strategies do you use to make sure the content delivered resonates with everyone, with varying levels of experience?
When explaining concepts, especially if we have teaching assistants or support staff attending, we take extra care to provide clear explanations. For teaching staff, we start by outlining the reasoning behind the topic. For example, if we're revamping the behaviour policy, we'll first share how we collected and analysed behaviour data from the previous year. This sets the context and background for our discussions.
We then present the raw data, highlighting key issues and trends. To add credibility, we often reference research, such as findings from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF), to show that our strategies are evidence-based. We might include visuals or videos to make the information more engaging and relatable.
We aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the topic, from background information to research-backed strategies, to make sure everyone can connect with and benefit from the information.
To simplify complex policies, I break them down into digestible parts during training sessions. I provide a simplified overview, like a flowchart, for daily use, while also making the full policy available for reference.
During discussions, I often divide participants into groups to work through the material, discuss and generate questions. This promotes a shared learning experience and encourages engagement.
While fixed groups can sometimes be uncomfortable, they can also be effective in breaking up cliques and broadening perspectives. For example, mixing staff randomly or based on certain criteria can facilitate fresh insights and connections.
Additionally, when assigning feedback roles, I deliberately choose different individuals to make sure diverse perspectives are heard. This helps to validate understanding across the board and prevents reliance on just 1 person's viewpoint.
Speaking of feedback, do you actively encourage your staff to comment on how they find INSET days?
We don't have an official feedback process for INSET days, but we do encourage open communication during the sessions themselves. With our small staff and supportive culture, people feel comfortable asking questions and sharing their thoughts in real-time.
During dedicated time for activities such as curriculum redesign, we work collaboratively as a team. This ensures everyone benefits from each other's insights and questions. By keeping everyone together and working on tasks collectively, we maximise the learning experience and ensure completion without the need for follow-up checks. It's a simple but effective approach to fostering collaboration and continuous improvement.
Thinking about how you’ll make sure your September INSET training covers the latest guidance?
The safeguarding INSET pack from The Key is the most-loved on the market, and this year comes complete with:
- Everything your staff need to know about KCSIE part 1 and the latest changes – so you know you’re compliant
- A NEW downloadable quiz to check KCSIE understanding on the day, so you can immediately address knowledge gaps
- A NEW, larger, drag-and-drop selection of pressing safeguarding issues, so you can train staff on the challenges you’re actually seeing in your school
If you're a Leaders+ or Whole School member of The Key with access to The Key Safeguarding, we'll let you know as soon as the pack is ready otherwise register your interest here to find out when our INSET pack launches.